Detention
by Jasmine Dragon
Summary: Zuko and Katara find themselves trapped together in detention. Hilarity ensues.
1. How Katara got detention

**A/N: I don't own avatar.**

**How Katara got detention**

Katara sat down and hunched forward, and started to do the days homework. Her homework never got the opportunity to pile up, since she spent all her time in detention doing it.

Now she was not an unreasonable person, and was willing to admit her mistake when it actually was. But this time, it was not her fault in the least bit. Sure she was a hot tempered person who easily got into fights, so it was especially hard for her to ignore that obnoxious, sexist brat who called himself "Prince" Zuko, when he was bullying her brother.

She was walking innocently down the halls, when she heard him.

"Waterbending." She heard Zuko snort. "That's a _girls_ bending style. Are you a _girl_ Sokka?"

"You know, I heard that the peasant can't even bend!" One of his cronies, Jet stated. He had been freakishly stalking Zuko ever since they first met. At first, Zuko had been mildly scared of the apparent crush he had on him, but after he found out that Jet's father was a millionaire, he let Jet "hang out" with him by letting him join the football team, the reason Jet was stalking the captain in the first place.

"The peasant can't bend? Then why is he going to a benders school?"

_Peasant _Katara thought _just because his social status is lower than yours _Prince _Zuko, doesn't mean he is any worse off than you. I bet you don't have a pool in your house do you?_

"Maybe he just wants to "fit in"" Jet made finger quotation marks at the last two words.

"Well he's going to fit in really well with all the girls in his waterbending class. They have_ so _much in common!"

"Like what?" Jet asked, sensing his cue.

"Well, they can't fight, and they both like guys!"

The two jocks started laughing at their own stupid joke, and, seeing this, Sokka seized his opportunity and swung out with his left arm, aiming a punch at Zuko's gut.

He missed.

Laughing, Zuko pointed out how this proved that girls and water benders couldn't fight.

Katara had been seething throughout this whole conversation. At the last comment she got so furious, that she bent some water from the nearest water fountain, accidentally splashing someone she and her friends called "cabbage boy" in the face.

"Why is it always me?" she vaguely remembered boy ask, soaked.

She brought the water up to the ceiling, then down again right above Jet and Zuko, drenching the so-called "jocks"

Then she brought the water back up to the same level as the boy's inflated heads, and sent a whip of water right to Zuko's temple, knocking him down to the ground. She then froze him there.

"Who says girls can't fight?" she asked triumphantly smirking.

"I do." Professor Pakku growled. "At least in the halls. I saw how you were bullying that boy." He said looking directly at Zuko. "The two of you report to detention."

_Now_ how _was that her fault? _Katara asked herself. _I hate this school._

Sitting there in detention when it was all that Jerks fault made her feel so frustrated that it took her all her energy not to hit the closest living thing in sight. I.e.: The Jerk himself.

To her disgust, she then heard Zuko burp after finishing his sloppy joe.

She dotted an "i" with such ferocity that she poked a hole in her paper.

Dammit.

**A/N: R-E-V-I-E-W! Next chapter: what happens in detention. R-E-V-I-E-W!**


	2. What happens in detention

**A/N: I don't own avatar.**

**What happens in detention**

"What?"

He had finally gotten to her. For about ten minutes he had been doing nothing but stare at her. It was starting to get creepy.

"What what?"

She rolled her eyes. Why did he have to be so annoying?

"Why are you staring at me?"

"Staring at who?" Zuko asked with a hint of a playful smile.

"Me!" She said, throwing her hands in the air.

"What about you?" He asked, tilting his head to the side, the smile prominent on his face… she had never seen him smile before… he _did _look sort of cute when he…

WHACK!

She smacked him with a water whip, partially to wipe that silly grin off his face, and partially because she was turning red and didn't know what to do.

"Yeesh. Didn't know I was bothering you _that_ much."

So that's why he thought she turned red. Oh well.

"Why are you acting so different?"

Different? What did she mean by that? She didn't even know him.

"What do you mean by that? You don't even know me." Zuko stated.

"I mean why aren't you acting like you had done with my brother?"

"Are you saying you want me to pin you to a wall?" Zuko asked with a suggestive smile. He didn't know why he was acting like this. He never had before. But there was something to be said about that cute shade of pink that girl turned right before….

Damn. That water whip _hurt_. She was going to wake the teacher.

Apparently, she had realized that too, and didn't say anything. So there was silence between the two.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Until…

"Why would I want you to pin me to a wall?" Katara finally asked. Heck, she was bored and he was cute. Every bone in her female body was telling her – no wait, _screaming_ at her – to go for it. Why not?

"I dunno… you tell me," Zuko replied casually, winking at her.

"Wait. So let me get this straight," Katara said bemused. "I beat you up, and you're _flirting_ with me?"

_This_ was something that definitely never happened before in detention.

"I'm, bored and you're cute… I'm thinkin' why not?"

Wow. That was ironic.

"Maybe because I water whipped you twice?"

She felt like hitting herself. _Why _was she giving him reasons for the "Why not"?

He sighed. He could take a hint.

"Never mind," He said in a resigned voice, and took out his homework, faintly wondering at how low he had sunk. He was doing _homework_.

She felt like a total idiot. Here was _another_ cute guy, and she had blown him off, just because she had no idea what to say. Maybe if she had gone to all the tea parties Jin had invited her to instead of playing football with Toph, Aang and her brother, she wouldn't be such a tomboy.

_Play to your strengths_. She remembered her mom telling her about the time she had a crush on the new kid, Haru. _Play to your strengths._

_Damn_ he hated math. Here he was, alone in a room (save for a snoring teacher) with a pretty girl, and he was doing _math._ He was losing his touch.

Watching him chew on his pencil, for once in her life Katara seized her opportunity, and walked over to where he was sitting.

"Hey. Need some help?"

**A/N: Next chapter: why not to make out in detention.**

**Oh, and in this story, Azula is a snob, not a sadist, Zuko is a jock, Katara is a bit of a tomboy, and her best friend is Toph. Aang and Katara are cousins. And Azula's right hand lady? Why Jin, of course :D. **

**Now click the lavender button and REVIEW!!**


	3. Why not to make out in detention

**Disclaimer: I own as much avatar as you do. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**

Their lips were crashing against each other; they were fiercely kissing, as if their lives depended on it. Her hands in his hair, his hands on her waist, and it got so heated, and she forgot her own strength, and accidentally knocked him over, sending the chair crashing to the floor, with Zuko on it.

He didn't mind all that much; in fact, she wasn't even sure whether or not he noticed it.

However, they _definitely_ minded when the teacher started screaming like a banshee.

Oh. He woke up.

Dammit.

* * *

After calming down and having some water thrown on him (courtesy of Katara) the teacher walked out the door to get headmaster Roku leaving Zuko and Katara to debate over what was to be done about their situation. They finally decided on the classic tactic: deny, deny, deny.

Katara was mentally hyperventilating. She had never gotten into trouble for _this_ kind of thing before! Getting into trouble because for fighting? She was your girl. Getting into trouble for fighting in detention? She'd been there, done that and gotten the T-shirt. But getting into trouble for kissing in detention? That was Sokka's department.

Sokka! That's it! She could just ask Sokka! He could get her out of this… or else she was dead. She didn't want to die!

"Hey, Zuko can I borrow your phone?" She asked. Her own had been confiscated after the third time she got detention. Her parents told her that if she could stay out of trouble for a month, she would get it back. She never did.

"Sure. Make it quick though. I don't want my unc- err… Professor Iroh to confiscate it."

"Don't worry. I'm messaging someone."

_Got in trubl fr makin out in detention. Wht do I do?_

_Kat._

As she pressed the send button, the realization of what she had done came to her like an electric shock. Oh no.

* * *

Headmaster Roku was having a good time. He was having a _very_ good time. Or at least that was what Professor Iroh thought as he passed by the door of his office.

"Oh Roku!" came the faint voice of Professor Kyoshi from behind the door.

Shoot, Iroh thought. Everybody was getting some except for him. And the last time he called Jun, the girl he met in the bar, she sounded mad. He remembered her sweet voice filling his ears with not-so-sweet insults. If he remembered correctly her exact words were:

"Next time you call me, I'm gonna beat the dude outta ya! Got that?"

Dammit.

* * *

Walking back to the detention room, Iroh heard a girl hyperventilating. Poor thing. She wasn't in _that _much trouble. He heard muffled words that sounded like "_I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die,"_ coming from inside the room.

Thinking it over in his head, he decided to be the "cool" teacher once again and cover for Zuko and this new girl. Though he probably should warn her, he decided he wanted to stay on Zuko's good side before his father's death anniversary, which was coming up.

As he put his hand on the doorknob, he heard Zuko's favorite song playing.

_I'm bringin' sexy back… yeah._

That boy brought his cell phone to school again. He was always looking for new ways to get into trouble… and he had a weird taste in music.

He was thinking whether or not to go inside the room when he heard his nephew choke out the words "It's for you."

These words were soon followed by a gasp and more hyperventilating on the girl's part.

Iroh rolled his eyes. It was time for a walk. He'd come back when the voices died down… and when the crying stopped.

**A/N: This story is getting really weird. Most of this story is copied off something or the other. Like the way Sokka talks to Katara is pretty much how my brother talks to me. Oh, and the whole Katara always getting into fights and landing up in detention where she meets a guy she likes thing is copied of "missing" by Meg Cabot.**

**There you go. Confessions of a creativity deprived author. **

**Review!**

**Ciao,**

**Jasmine **

**Ps. I know, that the main Zutara part of the story (the part where Katara and Zuko DECIDE to make out) is not mentioned. It will be while Katara and Sokka are "talking", so don't worry about that, I'm just too lazy to write it now, and I wanted to get this chapter up. **


	4. How Sokka got detention

**Disclaimer: I still don't own avatar.**

"What is wrong with you?!?" she heard her brother scream at her. "You can't just make out with anyone you met in detention! That's morally unsound!"

"What about Suki? And Yue? And Ty Lee? And Jin? And-"

"That's my life and my business. I didn't ask you to get involved!"

She was about to ask who told _him_ to get involved, when she remembered that she did herself.

Dammit.

Taking a deep, calming breath, she started: "Look, can you just tell me what I should do?"

"Not until you tell me who you kissed."

Yeah. Like that was gonna happen.

"Please Sokka! Professor Iroh will be back any moment! What will I do then?"

"Just tell me who you kissed. It can't be all that bad. Come on. Who was it? Was it Haru? That's not bad. I thought you had gotten over him."

"It wasn't Haru Sokka."

"Then just tell me who it was! It can't be all that bad."

_Not in a million years_, Katara thought.

* * *

"You kissed _Zuko_?!?" Sokka screamed at her ten minutes later, his face turning purple.

Katara was sitting with her feet up on the table thinking about the best way to kill herself.

* * *

Iroh had been taking a stroll down the halls of Bending High for Gifted Students, when he by chance passed by the boys bathroom. He was hearing a continuous stream of swear words coming from the lavatory. His day just kept getting better.

Taking a deep breath, Iroh bravely stepped into the bathroom, preparing himself to face his inevitable doom.

When would those boys learn that drugs were bad for them? He thought that Professor Zhao had already been sacked for distributing drugs. Wasn't that enough? _Apparently it wasn't_, Iroh thought as he saw the door of the cubicle looking like it was being beaten up… badly.

This boy had it bad too. He was screaming these swear words to himself, as he could not detect a second voice. Oh no. Not another lunatic with an imaginary friend! Hadn't that freshman Bumi been enough?

"Son, are you alright in there?" Sokka heard the voice of one of the most beloved teachers of BHGS saying to him. _What to do…_ the amateur water bender wondered. He decided that if he kept quiet long enough, Iroh might think that he _imagined_ all the screaming and the banging and the swearing and the…

So he kept quiet.

Iroh rolled his eyes. Why did all the students think he was an idiot? It must have been that time he called Jun on speaker in the cafeteria.

_Oh well, his loss_, Iroh thought as he shot a blast of fire at the hinges of the door, knocking it straight off, and as fast as he could, he grabbed the confused youth in the cubicle and pinned his hands to his back.

_Yup_, Iroh thought with a grin. _I've still got it_.

* * *

And that was how Sokka found himself in detention five minutes later, for bringing a cell phone to school. That was also how he found out about who Katara really kissed.

The look of horror that spread throughout his features when he entered the detention room was unforgettable.

Zuko put so much effort into not laughing that he choked on his own saliva, and Professor Iroh had to thump him on the back to make his face the right colour again. Zuko was scary when he turned red.

"Now," Iroh said, shooting a disapproving look at a fuming Sokka who was glaring at Katara and Zuko, "I _was_ going to tell headmaster Roku about what you two were doing," he said, looking firmly into Katara and Zuko's eyes, "But he was busy-"

"Kyoshi…" the three teenagers muttered under their breaths.

"Yes, well, now I have decided to put your brother in detention instead. I believe _he_ will give you a suitable punishment by the look he is giving you two."

Zuko and Katara gulped. Zuko was about to put his arm around Katara when he realized that would just make things much, much worse. Well, at least Sokka wouldn't be able to do anything to them whilst Iroh was there. For once he was happy to have his uncle around.

"I have to go to the bathroom!" Iroh announced happily (after sitting in his chair for about three seconds) as if it were the best thing in the world. "I have an upset stomach so I'll be long. Don't do anything that could get you into trouble!"

Winking at the teenagers, he went whistling out the door, leaving Katara and Zuko to be shredded to pieces.

* * *

_Or not_… he thought as he walked in fifteen minutes later, figuring that he didn't really want the two _dead_, just punished. However, what he saw astonished him to say the least.

He found Sokka frozen to a wall, with an ice dagger at his throat._ Oh_ why_ did Pakku have to teach the water benders that trick?_

"And if you ever call me a whore again, Sokka I swear to God…"

"You did _what_ with my sister?" Zuko asked; a hint of malice in his eyes, and two flames dancing in his hands. Alright… so he didn't exactly _like _his sister, but Sokka didn't know that… _and_ it was a nice way to shift the blame.

That was what Katara was thinking too. She had been called worse things, however, shifting the blame was very easy, and she and Zuko made a nice team.

Sokka gulped. What had he gotten himself into? He should have minded his own business, and maybe then Katara would have minded hers. But as soon as he started yelling at the – Sokka shuddered – happy couple, Katara had to bring up Azula. And then when he said it wasn't right to go around kissing random boys, she called him a hypocrite! He had been very quick to remind her that he _didn't _go around kissing boys in detention, but she asked him to prove it! And when he told her there was a name for people who make out with people they don't even know she said he called her a whore!

Sokka shook his head… the universe just _loved_ torturing him.

So there he was, frozen to a wall by his (probably hormonal) sister, and an angry brother waiting to fry him. He knew how his sister was like this time of month and hoped the angry brother would get to him first.

Thankfully, neither did, as Professor Iroh happily strolled in the door just as his sister made an ice dagger.

Thank God for little favors.

* * *

The inner sports instructor inside Iroh made him separate the three, making them sit in opposite corners of the room.

Grumbling about how he was never paid enough, he sat down in his chair in the front, warning the three that they were very close to having their parents called.

Then he sat with his head in his hands, leaving the students to glare at each other.

* * *

Katara sat wondering what she had gotten herself into. It wasn't even her fault! All she had done was offer to help him out with his homework, and he swung out his hand to reach for a pencil, but it (accidentally) went too far hitting her in the stomach (because _everyone _knows that jocks have _terrible_ hand eye co-ordination) making her fall to the floor, letting him be the "hero" and catch her.

Then he kissed her.

Sure she should have stopped him, but really: she was a girl getting her first kiss from _Prince_ Zuko. What was she supposed to have done? Slapped him? Yeah right.

And maybe she shouldn't have let it get so heated that she knocked him over, causing Professor Iroh to wake up, but it was _his_ fault for being such a light sleeper. And it was _Zuko's_ fault for being such a good kisser.

It wasn't _her _fault. It never was.

Then why was Sokka screaming at her (after school let out) on the way home, telling her that it was all her fault and he was going to tell mom and dad?

It was confirmed.

Her life was never meant to be good.

Dammit.

**A/N: Review! Next chapter: What happens after detention. Expect two or three more chapters to this story.**


	5. What happens after detention

**Disclaimer: Still don't own avatar.**

Katara sat on her bed, sulking. Her curtains were drawn and her sheets were covering her face. Sokka had done it. It wasn't just an empty threat. He had gone and told mom and dad.

She got a terribly long lecture from her parents, about dating boys she met in detention. She was quite embarrassed, as she could see Sokka sniggering in the background, mouthing to her that if she told their parents about all the girls _he _dated, he would tell mom and dad about their (as he liked to put it) "big smoocheroo".

He said it was because he didn't want to hurt her. He said that people like Zuko are never serious about girls and that they use them. Katara refused to believe him. She said that just because Zuko hurt him (physically) doesn't mean that he'll hurt _her _(emotionally). Sokka just repeated what he said, and slid out her door, mumbling that he was sorry that he had to tattle on her, leaving her to her depression.

While she was doing so, her mother entered her room, carrying a picnic basket. In reply to her raised eyebrows, Kya explained how she noticed that Katara never had any dates to dances and just stayed at home with Toph. That is why Kya had been ecstatic when she found out that the most popular guy in the school had shown an interest in her daughter, and, of course, she wanted her daughter to be happy. So she did something that made her _very_ happy.

"Here." She said, handing her daughter the picnic basket. "Go to the hill we used to take you and Sokka when you were little. Have a picnic. You have my permission. Go, quickly before your father finds out that I authorized this. And HAVE FUN!"

With those words said, Kya ushered her daughter down the stairs and out through the door.

She started walking towards Zuko's house. It was very close and she knew where it was, due to the number of times she had to go there on her parents' behalf to ask his parties to quiet down. She had always been invited in. She always refused.

However, if he were to ask her in now, she would gladly accept. She wasn't much of a "go out to the mall" sort of girl, more of a "stay at home and listen to the latest "elemental rock" CD with Toph" girl than anything else. But she was going to give this picnic with Zuko a shot.

So she walked up to Zuko's door and rang his doorbell. As her finger left the doorbell's button, she was struck by a flood of "what if's".

What if his mother answered the door? What would she say?

What if he was busy?

What if he had friends over?

What if he was just using her for entertainment in detention?

What if he didn't really like her? I mean, what boy in his right mind would like a girl who beat him up?

What if –

The door opened. Zuko looked happy though surprised to see her. That was a good sign... right?

"Hey Zuko," she said breathlessly. She shouldn't have walked so fast on the way over there. She was completely out of breath, and sweaty. Oh God, she must look hideous.

"Hey Kat, how'd things go with your parents?" Zuko said, nearly, _nearly _hiding his surprise as if he had sweaty, breathless girls at his doorstep everyday.

"My dad blew his top, but my mom was surprisingly okay with it. So that's why, I was wondering, if you were free, maybe…" She trailed off, feeling like a total idiot.

"Today?" Zuko asked with a bemused smile on his face.

"If you're free." She said, her hopes rising.

"Sure, I'm free. Let's go."

Pleased yet surprised, she let him show her to his car: an ancient, battered up old… something. It was so beaten up, you couldn't tell what kind of car it was.

"It was my dad's." Zuko said, in a matter-of-fact manner.

Katara smiled in a "that's nice" manner, and mumbled out an "Oh" when inside she was thinking how on earth could "Prince" Zuko have a car like _that_ while "peasants" like Sokka and herself shared a BMW? She was regaining her confidence, seeing as she was superior to him in at least _something._

_Oh well, _she thought,_ the car's looks weren't important. It was the person _inside_ the car whose looks really mattered. _

She suddenly felt the car move. What was happening? Was this some sort of a ghost car? Zuko wasn't sitting in the driver's seat! Where was he anyways?

Beginning to panic, she turned her head and saw that he was pushing the old car.

"What are you doing?" she called out.

"Nothing," he said, pushing with all his might. She would have been annoyed at the faultiness of his car, but she was too busy staring at his biceps to get annoyed. _Wow, _she thought,_ how much time did he spend at the gym anyways? _

"This old girl just needs a bit of a push before she can get started."

Sure enough, after about another ten seconds of pushing, the engine gave out a noise like a gunshot and started running. The engine didn't sound like a purring kitten, more like a roaring lion in pain, always giving off noises and sputters as Zuko hopped into the driver's seat and started talking with Katara.

When Katara told Zuko about the hill her mom recommended for the picnic, he reminded her that his old car probably wouldn't be able to go that far, and he told her about a closer place, another hill, with a beautiful river at its base. They agreed to go there for the picnic. The ride there was scenic, though not very enjoyable due to Zuko's faulty and noisy car.

After one last bump in the cracked up old road, the car's tyre finally gave away, and went flat, right next to a river at the bottom of the hill.

"Dammit," the two benders swore under their breath in unison.

"I'll get the pump," Zuko stated in a resigned voice.

Katara stayed in the car as her date took out a pump and a tyre from the boot of the car.

_How many things could a boy stuff in there?_ She faintly wondered.

She also remained in the car while Zuko pumped the car higher and higher to put in the new tyre.

Unbeknownst to him, there was a harmless garden snake creeping up behind him, and unbeknownst to Katara, Zuko was deathly afraid of snakes; especially the harmless garden kind.

Seeing the snake Zuko gave an extremely effeminate shriek, and bumped into the raised car, sending it and its occupant into the river.

Zuko's eyes widened as he saw Katara fall into the river, and all thoughts about the snake forgotten, he heroically jumped into the shallow river, saving his "damsel in distress", forgetting that she was a water bender.

He sighed with relief when he saw that Katara was fine, ignoring the bump on his head which he received as punishment for his foolish jump. However, as he stood up, knee deep in water, he realized that he, his date, and their picnic basket were all soaked.

The two benders sighed.

Their day just kept getting better and better didn't it?

**A/N: I edited it, because I got a few reviews telling me it could be better, so I tried to fix this chapter. I removed all of Zuko's "playboyness" just so you know.**

**And I wanted to add, this story is obviously AU, and the characters will be a little OOC as Katara's mother never died, her dad never left for the war (which isn't happening) and Zuko's mom never ran away, but stayed and raised him as a single mother with help from Iroh as his father died. (He still has his smexy scar though, as a result from a bad night with fireworks).**

**Oh, and Zuko is a jock because he is very athletic, and because he doesn't spend all his time obsessing over Aang, he has to find _some _way to pass his time. Then he discovered he was great at football. There you go: some more back story. **

**Wow. That was a long author's note! Oh, and the next chapter will be: Why a Motel is not like detention. The next chapter just has to do with a motel and some… stuff. No, this is not a lemon or a smut! I'll keep the rating in mind, although there will be some slightly mature themes later on… just a warning.**

**Also, I'm requesting ideas for jokes; as I can see my chapters getting less and less funny, so help me out please! **


	6. How a Motel is Unlike Detention

**Disclaimer: I don't own avatar. **

**Sorry about the long absence. Exams. Here's the chapter; enjoy: **

Zuko and Katara were sitting down under the shade of a tree, both of them following the unspoken vow that they would not speak of what had just happened

Zuko was drying himself off by running a carefully controlled flame all along his body using his hands. He did this in silence for a while, until Katara, irked by his selfishness asked him how _she_ was going to dry off.

"Well, I could-"

Katara stared coldly at him.

"Oh, right. Well, why can't you bend the water out of your clothes?" He asked.

"I can only bend water that I can see, and this water is in my clothes, so I can't really see it, so I can't bend it. So what should we do, because you can't dry your hair the same way, and if you don't dry your hair, you'll probably catch pneumonia!" She said all of this very fast, like Hermione Granger on crack.

"Um, Okay," Zuko said slowly, a bit confused by her rambling, mother-like speech, "Well… there _is _a motel nearby, but I don't know how that will – Ow! What was _that_ for?" He said, massaging his stomach in the place where he had just been water whipped… he was really beginning to get annoyed with that stupid whip.

"There's a motel? Where? Why didn't you tell me?" Katara screeched, gathering herself and standing up, and then she looked at Zuko, glaring at him full in the eye.

"Well, duh, of course they won't let an _unmarried _couple book a room! Plus, I don't have any money." Zuko said, amazed at her apparent idiocy. Katara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Honestly, HOW did this boy survive in the real world?! To humor him, she decided to play along.

Leaning against a tree, she pretended to think. Then she looked as if she had the most brilliant idea ever.

"I know!" she shouted in ecstasy, alarming Zuko. "We could _pretend _to me married!"

This is when Zuko really began to panic.

"Whoa, whoa! Let's not get carried away here!" he said hastily, horror evident in his voice.

This time Katara couldn't help her self from rolling her eyes.

"We'll just _pretend_ stupid! Then when we get a room," (Zuko shifted uncomfortably) "we can dry off in front of a nice, warm, crackling fire, and I can call someone to pick us up! And you can get your car towed."

"Hmm... Brilliant plan Katara, except for two things," He said pleasantly. If she could be sarcastically sweet then so could he.

"What are those?"

"One, how will we prove we're married (we're just kids you know, and we look like it too), and two, like I said I HAVE NO MONEY!" he shouted the last part out.

Katara, ever the solution to all problems (and never the cause) brought up a little water from the river in front of them and wrapped it around her ring finger and froze it. She then proceeded to chip off little bits so that the ice sparkled like a freshly cut diamond.

"There," She said. "What a beautiful ring you gave me hubby!"

Zuko shuddered.

"What about money?"

Katara then whipped out an ice blue credit card. Seeing this, Zuko's mouth hit the floor as his eyebrows raised up to the sky.

"Close the barn door. You're letting the flies in." She said with a smirk.

Zuko tried to do as instructed, but failed.

"Where did you get that?" He asked when he regained speech.

"Dad gave it to me in case of emergencies. I think this qualifies as one."

"Oh," Was all he said.

And with that, the newly married couple trudged on to a motel for their honeymoon.

That is how, half an hour later, Zuko and Katara found themselves sitting in front of a warm and crackling fire in a motel room wearing nothing but a towel… each, of course.

Now don't get worried. All that had happened was that upon arriving in the motel room, Zuko started a fire and asked Katara to take her clothes off. Naturally, this caused him to be water whipped in the face repeatedly until he managed to say (between whips) that the clothes needed to be dried off in front of the fire.

Obviously embarrassed, Katara went into the bathroom and changed out of her soaking clothes and came out clad in a large towel.

Due to a cruel twist of fate Zuko's jacket's zipper chose that time and day to get stuck.

So what was a girl to do when her date was struggling with a stuck zipper? Help him out of course!

So she went up to him with an air of confidence and "helped" him. The stuck zip was at eye level with her so she raised her arms and began to pull. She did this for another ten minutes until she realized that a bit of his shirt was stuck in his zipper. So absorbed in her "work" that she "forgot" to ask permission when she ducked her head and arms inside his jacket (Thank Agni the jacket wasn't tight!) and began to pull his shirt out of his jacket.

Zuko was too "confused" at having a (nearly) naked girl inside his jacket to tell her that he could do that himself, and by the time he had found his voice, Katara had already yanked his shirt out of the place it was stuck from and resumed tugging on his zip.

"Katara, I really think I-"

"Oh, shut up, just one more pull and-"

"No really Katara, I can-"

"If I can just pull on it hard enough-"

And with one last powerful jerk Katara managed to free the zip. And obviously (for reasons mentioned before) this pull was so powerful that she had knocked him off his feet and the teenage waterbender was now resting on top of him.

Even though he was sickened by this clichéd turn of events, Zuko was incredibly embarrassed (though slightly delighted) at having a towel clad girl on top of him, and shyly excused himself, reminding her that it was _his _turn to use the bathroom.

Blushing, Katara seated herself in front of the fire, keeping her clothes neatly folded next to her. By the time Zuko had come out (looking very red in the face and as though he had repeatedly splashed water on it) her clothes were nearly dry.

As Zuko sat down next to her she began blushing and told him she had already called get his car towed and was now going to call a taxi.

As she walked over to the phone, Zuko wondered why she had waited for him to come out to do this, and did not make the phone call earlier, but did not voice his thoughts as he was slightly grateful that she had done so, so as to save them both from more awkwardness. He then realized that he answered his own question.

"Hello?" He heard Katara speak into the phone. "Is this the Blue Underground Taxi Transportation? Yes, this is Katara Hawkingtail. I'm at the…" She picked up a motel business card from the dresser and read off it, "Sleazy Motel? No, wait; it's the Sleep Eazy motel. You've heard of it? Great! When can you be here? Oh. Oh, I see. Your sister got into a catfight with the manager and you have now refused to come anywhere near this place again? No, no, not at all eccentric. Why can't you send anyone else over? No. No, I _know _you're not alone there, I can _hear_ that dice rolling you know! Hey! Don't pretend you can't hear me! Hello? _Hello?_"

"_Agni_." She sighed, shaking her head as she returned to where Zuko sat trying to keep a straight face. "That guy has _got _to be a virgin."

She then requested a laughing Zuko that he should stop rolling on the floor and call his parents to pick them up. Without mentioning he technically didn't have two parents, he tried to do as requested, but there was no answer at his house.

With a resigning sigh, Katara begrudgingly got up and dialed her own house number.

"Hi, Sokka? Can I talk to mom? She's out? No, not dad. Yes, yes, I'm fine. Yeah, I'm with him. No, mom LET me go out with him! Now see I'm in a bit of trouble. No, he does NOT want me to go All The Way! See we're in this motel and… Dad? You were listening in? No, no, me being in a motel is okay. Zuko's here! You know Zuko. He was the guy I was making out with in detention. Dad? DAD! REMEMBER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE! Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Alright I'll shut up. I'm in the Sleep Eazy motel. You've heard of it? Waddya mean Aunt Kyla got into a catfight with some taxi cab driver's sister pretending to be the manager? Oh, alright. You'll be here in ten minutes? Great! Yes dad? Tell Zuko he should fear for his life? Dad, please don't. Dad? Dad? Hello?"

"He hung up on me," she informed a white and shaking Zuko, who was trying to get to the bathroom with his (still slightly wet) clothes, keep his towel on, panic, and run around the room in circles all at the same time.

Hakoda managed to get there just in time to see his daughter running to the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around her.

**A/N: sighs I poured out all my creativity into this chapter… so I basically have no idea what to do for the next one. Ideas would be appreciated. So please review and tell me how I'm doing!!**

**By the way: Blue Underground Taxi Transportation. Look at the initials. **

**Thanks to Kitty Elkabush for the Zuko's jacket idea. And spirit of kekko forest, I really liked your idea, and you inspired me to continue the story, but of course, I have to ask the rest of the readers thoughts as well.**

**So I'm asking you here: do you want me to continue after the Zutara story has ended? And if so do would you prefer Taang or Tokka?**

**READ AND (please, please, please, please, please) REVIEW AND YOU GET A HUG FROM ZUKO XD**


	7. A Punishment Worse than Detention

**A/N: It's been ages, I know, but finally, the chapters up, and as you can guess, I don't own avatar**

**A Punishment worse than Detention**

Oh, _why _was her family so backward? Why??

There was her father screaming at her for "selling herself out" and there was the cutest and ONLY guy she'd ever dated blushing and trying to explain what the situation was.

She knew better than to do that though. When her father turned that shade of red, she knew everything was beyond hope, until he cooled down to a milder pink.

And then there was Sokka. Hooo boy... Sokka. He was nodding at everything her father said, like a pathetic sidekick and using every opportunity to shoot dirty glances at the not-so-happy couple.

It was the usual scene of angry dad and daughter. He was screaming and she would say "but dad" at every interval, only to be interrupted.

After going on about the evils of fornication, warning them about STDs, thoroughly embarrassing them and yelling at them just to make himself feel better, he simmered down, and asked them to explain themselves.

"Well you see sir –" Zuko started.

"I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU BOY!!" Hakoda screamed.

"Dad! Calm down!! Nothing happened!" Katara said.

"Say's you!!" Sokka burst out.

"Sokka stay out of this!"

Katara was panting now, red in the face, desperate to prove her point.

"Dad our car broke down in a stream nearby. We both got soaked so we came here to dry ourselves off. And that's ALL that happened."

"How stupid do you think I am Katara? I am your father, you can't lie to me."

"But we can prove it!!" Katara protested.

"Alright, if you can prove it, you only get grounded for a month. If you can't… well, I'll think about the appropriate punishment."

* * *

And so, that is how, half an hour later they found themselves at the stream looking around for the car, and, as fate loved playing tricks on them, they couldn't find it.

Hakoda was seething. When Katara turned around to swear that the car really had broken down right there, he looked down at her and said "So… we shall see about this," with such venom in his voice that he sounded so much like Snape that our scarred hero nearly jinxed him to oblivion before this author remembered which fiction story she was writing about.

Katara was trembling. She had never seen her father _this _angry before.

"Katara, as much as I _hate_ to say this, but there is only one way to settle this honorably."

Katara's eyes widened. She knew what he meant. She nearly got down on her knees to beg and plead, and if Sokka and Zuko weren't there, she probably would have done so.

* * *

But she didn't and thus they found themselves another half hour later at Zuko's house, where Hakoda explained his version of things to Iroh and Ursa. The two looked shocked and gave disapproving looks to Zuko, but Katara noticed that Iroh winked at him when he thought nobody was looking.

And then, Iroh and Hakoda walked away into a separate room, out of earshot, although they caught the words "honorable" from Hakoda and a "surely not" from Iroh.

After what sounded like much heated debating, they came out and looked as if they had reached a verdict. Now Zuko and Katara had stopped trying to explain themselves to the adults. Katara knew that her father wouldn't listen and Zuko seemed to have figured the same. And disappointingly enough, with his record, Zuko wasn't going to be believed no matter _what_ he said.

One look at the satisfied expression on her father's face, and Katara knew that he had convinced Iroh of his plans. Feeling dizzy, she listened as her father started:

"We have come to a conclusion," Hakoda said, looking like he had tasted something very bitter, "and I am afraid the only honorable way to solve this little dilemma, and to make sure the result of whatever happened today does not bring shame to both our families" (Zuko looked thoroughly confused at this stage) "is marriage".

Iroh looked stern; Ursa accepting; Hakoda looked as if he wished he had brought a hunting gun along; Katara was white, and praying that there was _some_ way that she could explain the real situation; and Zuko and Sokka, as you can guess, fainted.

**A/N: A hug to everyone who reviewed from Zuko. And yes, it is the normal Zuko, with the nice hair. commands Zuko to hug **

**Zuko: WHAT?!?! **

**Jasmine: You heard me. Now HUG! **

**Zuko: (Hugs all reviewers) **

**Ps. I know this chapter's not all that good, but I thought I was taking too long to get this up. So now that its here, tell me what you think. Oh, and I know the marriage thing is a little far fetched, but avatar is based on eastern culture, and that is how most eastern families would react… even in today's time. **

**So review, and tell me what you think. Ideas for jokes are always appreciated. Next chapter should be up very soon. :D **


	8. Day After Detention

**Day After Detention**

Katara sat, arms folded, reading (yes, reading!) a book. It was almost dinner time, and Toph and Aang were over to give her some company.

"Comeon Katara! We all know you haven't read a book since 'Humpty Dumpty and his Quest for Suicide!'"

"No twinkletoes, remember when she read 'The Three Little Piggies went Home-acidal' for Tom-Tom when she was babysitting?"

"Yeah! And when Mai found out we had to come over to help her get the needles out of her-"

"Oh-KAY!" Katara shouted. "I get it. Katara and books. Don't mix. I'm just really ticked off you guys. This isn't fair. Why doesn't my family believe me?"

"I believe you Katara!" Aang said, eyes wide.

"Yeah, and, ya know, just in case you _did_ do it...."

"Toph!" Katara folded her arms over her chest.

"I'm just sayin'! Sugar and spice make everythin' nice, sweetness." The green eyed girl winked.

"Toph quit teasing. She's upset enough already." Aang reasoned.

"I know, I know... But seriously, who really waits for the third date anymore? I mean-"

"Don't listen to her Katara, we both know you didn't do it."

"Yeah, and, if you did, you'd tell us how by was right?"

Katara stomped off into her room.

The two sighed. It was getting late and Toph had to to get home before sunset or her mothers senseless panic attack syndrome would start acting up again.

-x-

Dinner that evening was quiet. Sokka and Katara glared at one another, whilst Kya and Hakoda were, apparently, having a contest to see who could go the longest without blinking. Needless to say, Kya won.

Kya had taken her daughter's side, and was now trying to convince Hakoda of Katara's innocence.

The tension at the table was soon broken when the doorbell rang. Repeatedly. And with a growing urgency.

Bring! Bring! Bring!

"I'll get it!" Katara practically jumped out of her chair.

Bring! Bring! Bring!

"I said I'm coming!" she shouted as she ran to the door.

Bring! Bring! Br- CRUNCH!

A muffled swear word came from the other side of the door.

"Zuko!" The waterbender exclaimed happily asshe opened the door.

"Hey! Um... Somebody broke your doobell... But I'll fix it! Don't worry!"

He heard a growl in the background.

"Why are you here?!" Hakoda glared at the firebender.

"Oh! Yeah! Katara! We're not getting married!" Zuko flinched at the word.

Katara's face lit up with happiness. "We're not?"

"Nope." He beamed. "The car! We had it towed remember! Mum got a call from the company!"

Katara threw her arms around zuko and kissed him till Sokka and Hakoda reminded her of their presence. And not very subtly I might add. Then, she grabbed Sokka's hands and the two began dancing around the room, with Katara singing "I'm not getting mar-REID! I'm not getting mar-RIED!"

"Not so fast!" Hakoda called out. "You need to prove that the car broke down there. I can't take any risks. I'm coming with you." Looking directly at Zuko, he added, "This better prove your alibi."

Zuko gulped.

After a half an hour drive in what was now only Sokka's BMW (which, frankly, Zuko found far too ostentatious. Really, why did everything that girl own have to be _blue_?) they arrived at what could best be described as an over glorified junk yard.

Zuko jumped to open Katara's door, smiling goofily at her father to prove himself as a getleman. He didn't help his cause when he closed the door on her long shirt, which now showed off her midriff.

Zuko reddened under Hakoda's glare.

As they walked into the front office, they saw an overweight, balding man in a white undershirt and ripped jeans. A fly buzzed around his head like a halo.

The walls of the dirty room were covered in posters of scantily clad women, and a bead of sweat tricked down Zuko's temple as he tried to keep his eyes from wandering in front of who could be his future father in law.

"Erm," Zuko started, "I'm here to get my car? License plate number "FIR3?"

The man behind the desk burst out laughing.

"You-" He gasped for breath. "You- you actually want that _back_?!"

The man wiped a tear from his eye.

"Where did you find the vehicle?" Hakoda asked sternly.

"By the hill... Ya know, with the stream by it?"

"Which hill specifically?" Hakoda pressed.

"Ya know.... By the "Sleep Eazy" motel?" he winked.

"See dad?" Katara said. "Sokka's the one with the hormone problems!"

"I knew it." Zuko muttered. He was ignored.

"Dad, trust us!" Katara's father silenced her with a look.

They were brought to the car. After a careful examination, and discussion with the smelly man who scratched his belly every now and then, Hakoda sighed.

"Katara, I don't want you to get married."

The girl looked up from Zuko, who had ecstatically jumped into his car and began to hug the seats and talk to the steering wheel affectionately.

".... Especially not to him."

"Then why are you doing this? I know you don't believe that I did anything!"

"Your story seemed so... Flimsy. I thought you lied."

"Well, I didn't!"

Hakoda raised an eyebrow.

"I know full well you can bend the water out of your clothes."

Katara's breath caught in her throat. "I- I couldn't."

Hakoda's skeptical look intensified.

"I tried! But all of a sudden, the water wasn't bending right; I didn't know what was wrong! I- I think he was distracting me." Katara blushed.

"What? How?"

Her blush intensified. "Um... How about I talk about that with mom. Yeah?"

Hakoda's eyes widened. He nodded slowly. And took a careful step back.

Luckily, Zuko chose that moment to come out of his car.

"So... The wedding's off?" The waterbenders nodded.

"Whew."

Hakoda's eyes narrowed.

"Stay away from cactus juice, boy."

Zuko looked confused.

"Dont kiss the car." Katara explained.

"Oh."

The three drove to Zuko's house.

Iroh answered the door, beaming. Hakoda rolled his eyes, and handed over a twenty dollar bill.

"Erm... We had a little bet going." Iroh explained.

"So... We were never going to get married?" Zuko asked.

His uncle burst out laughing. After a moment, Hakoda chuckled, and joined in.

Shaking his head, Hakoda said, "Ha- And I thought-" he stiffled another fit of laughter.

Iroh joined in. "As if _Zuko_-"

Hakoda's eyes watered astheir laughter doubled.

"I-I know!!" Hakoda managed to get out.

Zuko did not look happy.

Katara rolled her eyes.

"See you tomorrow." She called out as she dragged her father along, who was now clutching his side. _So that's where Sokka gets it...._

**A/N: What's this?! I actually UPDATED?! And the epilogue is ALREADY WRITTEN?! And there might be a SEQUEL?! And Avatar's getting a FOURTH SEASON?! Oh... Or not. Well, I still typed out this WHOLE thing on my iPhone, so excuse any mistakes. Im on vacation and have no access to a computer. Tell me what you think =) **


	9. Back to Detention

**Disclaimer: Do not own.**

But Katara didn't see Zuko that day. At least, not until she made her way into the detention hall. Once again, they were the only two in the room.

Katara smiled, and Zuko looked uncomfortable.

She sat down, and started completing her homework as she watched Professor Kuruk text someone urgently.

Soon, his phone rang.

"Sweetie! You know what I meant! But-but- baby! You know I love you! I swear, that chick was choking! I'm telling you woman, I saved a life! It wasn't so much as a French kiss as it was artificial resuscitation! Oh. Oh, you mean HER? Oh, _she_ was, um, my second cousin! Yeah. Twice removed. Aw, come on babe..."

The door slammed shut behind him.

Zuko chuckled.

Katara turned to face him, a smile on her lips.

"Hey, listen-"

Zuko looked slightly uneasy. "Katara..."

"Yeah?"

"Listen, I like you. I really do. But..."

Was he breaking up with her? They weren't even officially going out!

"But what?"

"Yesterday was... Kinda weird. How's about we take a break from each other for a while huh? Maybe get together in a few weeks?"

Zuko had to supress a smirk. He knew this would make any girl want to go out with him even more, and he really wanted Katara to want to go out with him. He had more fun with her than he did with any of the others. She was different.

"And what makes you think I'll be available then?" Katara's eyes narrowed. He frowned, his eyes widening in panic.

She walked over to his desk.

"I just wanted to borrow a pen boron. Mine ran out of ink"

Zuko gave her an odd look and handed over a spare pen. She took it wordlessly and signed her name on a piece of paper pinned up on the wall.

"The school play? You? Really?"

Katara sauntered back to hand him his pen.

"Yep."

After a moment's hesitation:-

"You know, it's too bad you wanna 'take a break.'"

She bent down so that their eyes were completely level.

"Because... I learnt the neatest trick in health today."

She put a hand in his chest, her fingertips gently touching him. His breath hitched.

"See, I can feel where all the blood in your body is right _now_."

Her lips were painfully close to his. He could feel her breath tickle his face. His heart thudded, and his eyes widened at the implication.

"And you know what else? I can control that blood."

A flick of her wrist sent his chair crashing onto the floor. He lifted his head as the bell rang just in time to see her walk out of the room.

"I guess I could just practice on Jet." was all she said before she left.

Zuko looked at the pen in his hand, and then at the audition list for the play.

Maybe detention wasn't the only place to make new friends...

**A/N: Review! And tell me whether to continue it or not with a sequel =)**


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